Michael F. Myers, MD

Doody Review Services
Reviewer: Marion A. Schrift (Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center)

Description: This is an informative and interesting book covering the relationship issues that are unique to the marriages of doctors.

Purpose: The purpose is to document the common marital problems among medical students and physicians. The author describes the psychological impact these marriages have on the entire family. The author also hopes that this book will inform therapists about this subject and provide new knowledge for those therapists that are already working with physicians and their families. These are extremely important issues that the author covers in an enlightening way.

Audience: The book is intended for medical students, doctors, their spouses and partners, and their age appropriate children. The author also hopes it will attract therapists to this subject.

Features: The book includes eight chapters dealing with the various aspects of the physician's marital life cycle. The contents includes student and resident marriages, male/​female physician marriages, gay/​lesbian physician couples, divorce and remarriage, older physicians and their marriages, and a special problem section dealing with issues such as the death of a child, lawsuits, and HIV disease. Each chapter is referenced with relevant and up-to-date citations. There is a useful index at the end of the book.

Assessment: This is an excellent book that essentially is a user's guide to physician marriages. This should be mandatory reading for every physician, spouse of a physician, and therapist who treats doctors and their families. It is well written, quite informative, and helps one to understand the complexities of doctors and their marriages.